X-Blocks Comes To Seams To Be Sew Today…

Hi Everyone, I have a fun new project for you today featuring the X-Blocks ruler. When I saw all of the most irresistible patterns that you can make with these rulers I jumped at the chance to participate in this blog hop. I know I’ve said in the past that I dislike specialty rulers, but sometimes a specialty ruler can do more than just one pattern type and I’m always happy to have the options available to me in that respect. With these rulers, I definitely see the potential possibilities with even taking old blocks you may have made that let’s say didn’t piece correctly or are warped to the point you didn’t wish to use them in your project. X-Blocks blows that out of the water and lets you use the rulers to allow you to create something new and fun with those types of blocks.

It’s actually a very easy block that most of you could do with normal piecing techniques, but the instructions in the pattern are what make this an impressive pattern and how you use the ruler to create the pattern makes this easy peasy, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced quilter. I will note, this pattern does need you to read the instructions because you are reversing the ruler to create half of the blocks, so it is important to read the directions.

I love this pattern and what I love most about it besides the easy creation of the pattern is that you can use the edges of the blocks you cut off in the borders also.

I did not make mine as large as this pattern is, I wanted to keep it small as I have a lovely spot for it in the dining room and needed to follow the dimensions of the wall.

I chose to use my Island Batik fabrics from what was sent me last year. We got these little bundles of 5-inch scrap rolls, and I always wondered what was I going to do with them. I used those for this project. I have used some of them in little pieces here and there, but for the most part, I had never cut into them like I did with this project.

The pattern itself calls for jelly rolls or honey rolls. I do not own anything like this, in fact, I am not someone who would buy these kinds of bundles. I’m old-fashioned and set in my “I buy it by the yard” ways… so for me, buying rolls of already cut fabric would just never happen.

Once I opened each roll, I then separated them by basic colors.

I then cut them into the 2 1/2-inch strips and 1 5/8 strips that were needed. I also cut the sashing that comes between the columns. I arranged the strips in mostly a scrappy way, trying to not have the same color in each block, in other words, if I used a purple, another purple didn’t go into the same strip set.

After you stitch your strips, you then cut your strips into blocks.

I did cut mine a little bit larger than it called for in the pattern and this didn’t seem to affect things once I used the X-Blocks ruler.

Once you cut your blocks, you then need to press them again. Some of the blocks need the seam to go one way and the others need the blocks to go the other way.

Preparing to Press

Pressed towards outer edges

Pressed seams toward center

When you cut your strips into the blocks, you should average 4 blocks per strip set.

I then separated them into 2 blocks in one pile, and 2 blocks in another pile per strip set.

Originally I had ironed my seams all in one direction, and I wasn’t happy about having to re-press them but, I understand at least why it was done because you can’t separate the strips into the way they need to be pressed when your stitching them, so you either do not press at all, or you press in your preferred manner knowing you will re-press them.

The basic reason is that once you are ready to stitch your blocks into the rows, your seams are already the opposite directions because you pressed the seams the way the directions tell you to.

Next… I used a secret weapon to make cutting my blocks with the X-Blocks ruler.

One of my favorite tools in fact…. some of you who have followed me the last few years can probably guess what that is…

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I really, really like your piece, Marian. It’s very desert landscape, to me, and you live in an area of Colorado where that fits right in. What a beauty. I have the larger one (I think), and I’ve used it to make an American Hero quilt. I am going to have to investigate this pattern, because I like it a lot.

Hi Marian,
I just LOVE the batiks you used in this quilt! How, it is just amazing how different patterns look with different choices in the fabrics, and this is certainly the case. Amazing and so very lovely!
~smile~ Roseanne

This is such a perfect use of the lovely batiks! It is truly mesmerizing! i own the secret tool and love it! It makes getting those cuts so much easier and more exact. Remember a few weeks back when you recommended the scissors for trimming machine applique pieces? I ordered a pair and absolutely love it! Thank you a TON for that suggestion!

Beautiful quilt! Thanks for all the photos of how your did this. I am not usually a fan of specialty rulers, either, but the patterns and instructions and possibilities for these elevate them to another level. I am a now a BIG fan … 🙂 Pat